The Impact of Undergraduate Research Programs on Enrollment in STEM Graduate Programs Sylvia Hurtado M Kevin Eagan Tanya Figueroa and Bryce E Hughes UCLA AERA Annual Conference April 2014 ID: 512953
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Reversing Underrepresentation:The Impact of Undergraduate Research Programs on Enrollment in STEM Graduate Programs
Sylvia
Hurtado
, M. Kevin Eagan, Tanya Figueroa, and Bryce E. Hughes
UCLA
AERA Annual Conference, April 2014
Philadelphia, PASlide2
IntroductionAmerican Indian (0.4%), Black (3.8%), and Latina/o (4.1%) students remain terribly underrepresented in STEM graduate programs
Federal and private agencies have invested heavily in undergraduate research programs to increase their participation in graduate school
However, very few studies have been able to test the effect of undergraduate research participation on graduate school enrollment using experimental or quasi-experimental techniquesSlide3
PurposeTo examine the effect of participation in undergraduate research on enrollment in STEM graduate programs.
Specifically, this study tests this effect for college students in general as well as URM students in particular.Slide4
Literature ReviewUndergraduate research experiences (URE) can help URM students overcome many of the unique racial barriers they face in STEM
UREs also promote skill development and the enhancement of science identity requisite for success in STEM
Many studies have identified UREs as a significant factor in the decision to enroll in a STEM graduate program, but a causal relationship has yet to be establishedSlide5
Conceptual FrameworkUndergraduate research experiences as communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1993)
Mutual engagement around a common enterprise
More than “learning by doing”: Authentic participation leads to development of a shared identity
Outcomes: Increased sense of belonging and desire to move from peripheral to full participationSlide6
Data Source and SampleLongitudinal dataset:2004 CIRP Freshman Survey
2011 Post-Baccalaureate Survey
Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System
7331 students across 471 institutionsSlide7
Variables and MeasuresDependent VariableWhether student enrolled in STEM graduate program within 7 years of college entry, dichotomous
Independent Variables
Participation in undergraduate research
Demographic and pre-college experiences
Aspirations and dispositions
Institutional characteristicsSlide8
Predicting Research Participation
Structured
Program
Research with Faculty
Research
with Faculty or through Program
Latino (vs. White)
++
Black (vs. White)
+++
Native American (vs. White)
+
Pre-College research experience
+++
+++
+++
Degree aspiration: Ph.D.
+++
+++
+++
Career Aspiration: Research Scientist
++
+++
+++
HS GPA
++
+Slide9
Effect of Research Participation on STEM Graduate/Professional School Enrollment
Delta-P
All students: Structured program
0.09
All students: Research
with faculty
0.14
All students:
Any research
0.14
URM students: Structured program
0.15
URM students: Research with faculty
0.14
URM students: Any research
0.17Slide10
DiscussionResearch participation significantly improves STEM bachelor’s degree recipients’ probability of enrolling in STEM graduate and professional
programs
Mode of research engagement may not matter as much as engagement in and of itself
Incentivizing faculty to include undergraduates in their researchSlide11
Future ResearchIdentify the specific components of research experiences that correlate with increased rates of STEM graduate/professional school enrollment
Examine the ideal timing of UREsSlide12
This study was made possible by the support of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH Grant Numbers 1 R01 GMO71968-01 and R01 GMO71968-05, the National Science Foundation, NSF Grant Number 0757076, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH Grant 1RC1GM090776-01. This independent research and the views expressed here do not indicate endorsement by the sponsors.
Papers and reports are available for download from project website:
http://heri.ucla.edu/nih
Project e-mail:
herinih@ucla.edu
Faculty/Co-PIs:
Sylvia
Hurtado
Kevin
Eagan
Administrative Staff:
Dominique Harrison
Tanya Figueroa
Bryce Hughes
Graduate Research
Assistants
:
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